Basic Sentence Structure Hand-out
Dr. Ken Hunt Comm/110

Pattern One: Simple sentence (one independent clause)

Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma.

Pattern Two: Compound Sentence (more than one independent clause)

Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma, but they don't know the reasons for it. (Here, two simple sentences are joined together by a coordinating conjunction, i.e. and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.

Pattern Three: Complex Sentence (one independent clause and at least one dependent clause):

Example: Because doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma, they have called for more research into its causes. (Here, the sentence is joined together by the dependent marker word because. Other Dependent Marker Words are as follows: after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order to, since, though, unless, until, whatever, when, whenever, whether, and while.

Dependent Marker Word (DM)

A dependent marker word is a word added to the beginning of an independent clause that makes it into a dependent clause.

Example: When Richard studied in the Starbucks for his Com/110 quiz, it was very noisy. (DM)

FYI: Dependent Clause

A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought. A dependent clause cannot be a sentence. Often a dependent clause is marked by a dependent marker word.

Example: When Christine studied in the Starbucks for her Com/110 quiz . . . (What happened when she studied? The thought is incomplete.)

Pattern Four: Compound-complex a compound-complex sentence is made up of at least one dependent clause, and two or more independent clauses

Example: Fossil fuels are non-renewable; therefore, we need to find alternative energy sources which will not be depleted.

Independent Marker Word (IM)

An independent marker word is a connecting word used at the beginning of an independent clause. These words can always begin a sentence that can stand-alone. When the second independent clause in a sentence has an independent marker word, a semicolon is needed before the independent marker word.

Example: Christine studied in the Starbucks for her Com/110 quiz; however, it was hard to concentrate because of the noise. (IM)

Some common independent markers are: also, consequently, furthermore, however, moreover, nevertheless, and therefore. Source: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/